Jastrow illusion
Jastrow Illusion is a visual illusion first described by the American psychologist Joseph Jastrow in 1889. This optical illusion involves two identical shapes, typically arcs, that are placed one above the other in such a way that the lower one appears to be larger than the upper one, despite both being the same size. The Jastrow Illusion is a classic example of how human perception can be easily misled by context and the arrangement of objects.
Overview[edit | edit source]
The illusion works because of the way the human brain interprets the relative sizes of objects. When the two arcs are placed with their convex sides adjacent to each other, the lower arc seems larger because its convex side is directly compared to the concave side of the arc above it. This juxtaposition distorts the viewer's perception, making the bottom arc appear longer or larger than the top arc even though they are identical in size.
Mechanism[edit | edit source]
The exact mechanism behind the Jastrow Illusion is still a subject of research, but it is believed to involve aspects of the brain's processing related to shape, size, and context. Some theories suggest that the illusion exploits the way our visual system processes objects in relation to their surroundings, leading to a misjudgment in size comparison. This phenomenon is related to other perceptual illusions that highlight the complexities of visual perception and the brain's interpretation of sensory information.
Applications and Significance[edit | edit source]
The Jastrow Illusion is not only a fascinating demonstration of the tricks our perception can play on us, but it also has practical applications in psychology and neuroscience. It is used to study the principles of human perception, cognitive biases, and the brain's processing of visual information. Understanding illusions like the Jastrow Illusion can help researchers gain insights into how visual perception works and how it can be influenced by various factors.
See Also[edit | edit source]
 | This psychology-related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it. |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
